Gates Learjet 25B accident near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, January 5, 1985
On January 5, 1985 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Gates Learjet 25B, registered N55PT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (Sundance airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 5, 1985 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma · Sundance · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Gates Learjet 25B · all 25Bs on the register
- Registration
- N55PT · registry record · serial 171
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT-IN-COMMAND (PIC) REPORTED THAT AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE SPOILERS & BRAKES WERE APPLIED, BUT NO BRAKING ACTION WAS FELT ALTHOUGH PEDDLE PRESSURE WAS EVIDENT. HE STATED THAT BY THE TIME IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE BRAKES WERE INEFFECTIVE,INSUFFICIENT RWY REMAINED TO GO AROUND. HE STATED THAT POWER WAS REDUCED & THE ACFT WENT OFF THE END OF THE RWY. NO SKID MARKS WERE FOUND GOING OFF THE DEPARTURE END. WITNESSES SAID THE ACFT HAD LANDED ABOUT HALF WAY DOWN THE RWY. THEY DID NOT HEAR THE ENGS 'RUN UP' UNTIL AFTER THE ACFT WENT OFF THE RWY'S END. AFTER DEPARTING THE RWY, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED SOFT MUDDY TERRAIN & WAS DAMAGED. NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND DURING AN EXAM OF THE BRAKES, ANTI-SKID, SPOILERS, WING FLAPS EMERG BRAKES & DRAG CHUTE.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 18,085 hours in all; 838 in this make and model; 87 in the last 90 days; 17,848 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,360 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme
- Maximum gross weight: 15,000 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CJ-610-6 (turbojet); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PBI W Palm Beach FL at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 35, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 3:48 pm from OKC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N55PT the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.